To: Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Presidents, State Colleges and Universities
Heads of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities
Deans of Medical Schools

1. As provided for in MECS Order No. 52, s. 1985, only college graduates who have qualified in the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT) and are duly issued a Certificate of Eligibility for Admission (CEA) by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, shall be considered for admission into the college of medicine, beginning school year 1986-87.
2. This Office, however, has received reports that certain medical schools are enrolling students without the required NMAT qualification and Certificate of Eligibility for Admission (CEA).
3. Under no circumstances are temporary enrolment of non-NMAT qualified students and holding of sit-in and audit classes for them permitted by this Office. Any medical school found to have violated this MECS policy on admission of medical students shall be dealt with accordingly.
4. For the information and strict observance of all concerned, the following specific rules as approved by the Board of Medical Education concerning the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT) and Certificate of Eligibility for Admission (CEA) are made known:
   1. The cut-off score for the NMAT examination held on December 7, 1986, as decided by the Board of Medical Education is 50th percentile or a standard score of 500.
   2. Students who did not qualify in the above examination as well as those who were unable to take it then can take a special NMAT to be held in Manila and Cebu on April 26, 1987 following the same cut-off score of 50th percentile.
   3. Application forms for this examination may be obtained from the medical schools, the Center for Educational Measurement Office (CEM), the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges Foundation (APMCF), and from the various MECS Regional Offices (MECSRO).
      These may be submitted between February 1 to March 15, 1987 to:
      The NMAT
      Center for Educational Measurement
      6th Floor, Concorde Condominium
      Corner Salcedo & Buenavidez Streets
      Legaspi Village, Makati, Metro Manila
   4. In order to give students who may pass the NMAT on April 26, 1987, equal chances for admission as those who passed the NMAT earlier, medical schools are requested to extend the deadline for the filing and submission of applications of prospective first year enrollees for school year 1987-88.
   5. The Board considers last year’s 40th percentile NMAT cut-off score valid for purposes of admission into the college of medicine for school year 1987-88.
   6. Certificate of Eligibility for Admission (CEA) to the Medicine Course issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports prior to the institutionalization of NMAT shall not be honored for purposes of admission into the college of medicine without the accompanying NMAT qualifying score, beginning school year 1987-88.
   7. Qualifying NMAT score and the Certificate of Eligibility for Admission (CEA) shall be valid for two (2) years only.
   8. A student shall be allowed only three (3) chances to take the NMAT. After three (3) successive failures, a student shall not be allowed to take the NMAT for the fourth time.
5. Immediate dissemination of this Order to all concerned is desired.

Reference: MECS Orders Nos. 52, s. 1985 and 3, s. 1986
Allotment: 1-3-4—(M.O. 1-87)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
CHANGE
COURSE OF STUDY, COLLEGIATE
EXAMINATION
GRADUATES
POLICY
RULES AND REGULATIONS

DO_s1987_12